October 7 - Alfred Drake; William Billings; John (Cougar) Mellencamp (The Musical Birthday Series)

Alfred Drake (7 October 1914 – 25 July 1992) was a baritone, especially known for several important Broadway roles.

True in His Fashion

Alfred Drake 

Didn’t fake.

On the stage

In his age

It was expected 

One projected,

No free ride, 

(Unamplified).

He didn’t croon

With autotune,

But held his own

In a full grown 

Rich baritone.

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪

William Billings (7 October 1746 – 26 September 1800) was the most important early American composer of choral music.

Compensation

Young William Billings

Was rewarded in shillings

But later his scholars

Paid him in dollars.

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John (Cougar) Mellencamp (b. October 7, 1951) is an American rock singer and song writer.

A double dactyl is a biographically inspired humorous poem with very strict structural rules.   

Here are links to two definitions for those who are curious.  The first from the  

Poetry Foundation is clearer but less accurate than the second, from Wikipedia.  Take 

your pick.  The classic statement is the book Jiggery-Pokery:  A Compendium of 

Double Dactyls by Anthony Hecht and John Hollander (New York, 1967).

Double Dactyl on JCM 

Higgledy piggledy,

John Cougar Mellencamp

Living in Bloomington,

Hoosier of fame.

Bored with a sobriquet 

Hexasyllabical,

Every so often would

Alter his name.

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